ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: spell · date · trunk · stand · board · fine · pitcher · scale

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. stand — to bear
  8. board — to get on
  9. scale — size or range
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. spell — letters
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. spell — a short time
  14. board — a committee
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — all right
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. spell — magic
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. stand — on your feet

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com